Greater Western Sydney Giants have recorded their first win of the season.
Cora Staunton and GWS Giants had lost their first two games of the season but all that changed in front of a crowd of 3,600 at Olympic Park Oval.
The Giants defeated Collingwood to give themselves a fighting chance, still, of reaching the Grand Final next month. Staunton contributed three scores but left the field injured before half-time.
The Mayo GAA star, who is partaking in her first season of Women’s Aussie Rules, collided with Collingwood’s Sophie Casey just before the break and went to ground holding her nose.
Casey did appear to lead with the forearm and Staunton, who had her arms poised to make a tackle around the waist, was defenceless.
Credit: AFL#AFLW: A heavy hit to the head for Staunton as her opponent raises an elbow in the contest.
Good to see she’s up on her feet and jogging to the bench with plenty of blood coming from her nose.#AFLWPiesGIANTS #NeverSurrender
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) February 18, 2018
Following the game, GWS head coach Alan McConnell confirmed Staunton would require an x-ray on her “bent” nose.
McConnell was not sure whether Staunton would be able to travel back to Sydney with her Giants teammates on Sunday night.
Cora Staunton came off the ground after this incident involving Sophie Casey. #AFLW #AFLWPiesGiants pic.twitter.com/mq3HrobLXn
— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) February 18, 2018
Following the 13-point victory, Staunton did rejoin her teammates on the pitch as they belted out their team anthem. From the snap, below, we can see her well strapped up:
That winning feeling 😊 #NeverSurrender pic.twitter.com/Je9aCUev0I
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) February 18, 2018
Post-match, McConnell said he was ‘delighted for the girls’. He commented:
“We’re a bit like Dad’s Army, our team, we come from everywhere and we’ve got a whole lot of girls who were told they’re no good and a lot of girls who have come out of New South Wales battling the notion that football isn’t the same there as the rest of the country.
“To get some reward for effort is just fabulous, absolutely fabulous.”
Up next for the Giants is a match against Adelaide. Staunton will be hoping the x-ray does not bring a result that rules her out of the tie.
